She is one of those girls who ride steep and narrow couloirs, icy mountain faces and deep powder, and she rides goddamn fast. Her name is Kaisa Härkönen. We got a chance to sit down and chat a little, so here comes Kaisa Härkönen interview.

Homeboy: Tell our readers who you are, how old you are and what you do for living etc.?

Kaisa: I am a 29-year-old (young!) woman from Joensuu in Eastern Finland. My family still lives in Joensuu, but right after graduating from high school I moved to Rovaniemi,  Lapland, to study. The Arctic Circle kind of fascinates me and Rovaniemi is a good location for getting outdoors in the fells.

I chose to study to be a sports instructor in Rovaniemi because there is a possibility to specialize in nature sports. In a way I have also used all my free time (and student loans) for studying my career, i.e. to passionately perform outdoor sports whenever possible. I graduated in 2004 and after that I have had temporary jobs all over in Finland and some abroad too. I have spent winters in the North, despite some riding trips to the Central Europe.

In the summertime I have worked in Southern or Central Finland and also done some summer sports too. I have done a great variety of different jobs: outdoor safari guiding, working on a reindeer farm, teaching snowboarding, and in the summetime I have worked as a sports instructor and as a sales person in an outdoor shop.

Doing only part-time jobs has been my particular choice for getting wide professional experience and at the same time, the only real option for maintaining my life style: to get outdoors as much as possible and to do what I really love.  All the jobs I have done relate to my hobbies, so I have at the same time gained knowledge of different sports.  This has also kept me somehow connected to “everyday work life”. Also, I did some additional studies in 2007 specializing in educational adventure. Those studies made it clear to me that I really like to work in the field of nature and outdoors in one way or another.

A year ago I started my winter job in Muonio, Lapland, as usual but to my surprise I also got a job as a teacher in Kronoby Folkhögskolan (in western Finland). Basically I was teaching outdoor guide students. Luckily I got a good deal so could manage to tour the Freeride World Tour Qualications and finally even got some nice results. Last spring was quite hectic though: I had a flat in three different locations and at the same time I travelled almost all the time.

Homeboy: Sounds like you don’t have any problem with too much spare time in winters, heh. In the summer time you must take it easy…right?

Kaisa: Well, summer wasn’t that busy; I only got to travel between two locations in Finland because of work. In addition to working I had some small-scale projects on all the time, like mountain biking or adventure races, arranging races and planning for future riding trips, etc.

I love to live in Jyväskylä. We have an old, red “grandma’s house” there by the lake. Still, when the fall comes I always want to go north.  Despite growing up in a small city, I really feel at home in Lapland, in its forests and fells.  I need some peace and lots of space around. Lapland offers plenty of both. Maybe it was my parents’ very down-to-earth philosophy and all the summers spent at our summer cottage that made me feel like such a “forest dweller”, heh.

Homeboy: Ok. Now, let’s get into the main subject of this interview – riding. How and when did you discover snowboarding?

Kaisa: If I remember right, I tried snowboarding for the first time in 1994. I got a racing board with plate bindings from the local hill’s rental shop (because there weren’t actually any other ones). At that time I didn’t realize how to turn but I just tried sliding the hill sideways with both of the edges. Naturally, there wasn’t anyone around showing how to do it and I didn’t have any idea how to made proper carves.  Well, as you can imagine, the prize for all that was a concussion and a broken wrist.

After that I continued a couple of years on skis, until my mom gave me some money to try snowboarding again. That time I had a friend to teach me and I figured out how to make some real turns. Then in the spring of 1999 I was going on a bus trip to Lapland and I was too ashamed to bring my antique skis with me. My mother loaned me a snowboard from some friends. I was stoked big time. And the board was quite big too – it belonged to the friend’s 2-meter-tall dad!

Despite the oversize board I was real happy to ride (being actually just a “passenger” on the board didn’t matter, heh), and I was hooked for good. The next fall I finally got my first own board. (For you Finns out there: the board belonged to the old school Koli-rider Juha Arponen and it was still quite long, a 162 cm purple Burton Supermodel with cool flames on the deck…).

The same winter (99-00) I also tried my first jumps on the icy gaps of Mustavaara, a local ski hill. That was another mistake again, as I didn’t know at all how to jump and I just landed on my back on the rock hard transition. The result was a hairline fracture on my lower back.  The injury itself wasn’t serious but it left a “nice” little mark in the form of a small pain every time I sit still for too long.

At the time, though, I was totally sold on snowboarding and wise enough to leave the floor bandy I played quite seriously on the national level. The season 1999-2000 was my first complete season and that season I managed to visit the Alps for the first time. I made a trip to Lyngen and Narvik too.  I guess I really took all the oppurtunities to ride back then and I fell in love with the soft snow and freeriding right from the start. I immediately knew this was my thing.

She is also a competitive mountain biker and adventure racer, AND she likes rock climbing and loves the outdoor life in general

Homeboy: Great answer. It is always nice to hear about people who have strong passions in their life. For most of the people there are just one or two. But you are a bit different that way – tell the readers a bit more about what other sports and activities you do. There are a few, am I right?

Kaisa: Yes. Mountain biking, rock climbing and adventure racing. One month ago I also did my first surfing trip ever (so you probably can’t call that a hobby yet).

From 2002 on I’ve done the Finnish mountain bike Enduro tour and every summer I do one or two adventure races. In the early 2000s I was a very active climber but lately I have climbed less because of all the riding (both snowboard and mountain bikes). But I believe I will put some more effort into climbing in the future again.

I also love kayaking but getting my own kayak will wait for some time now. As a part of my job I do trekking and camping all the time. I would especially like to do some more winter hiking and camping in my free time too.

Everything I do relates to nature and outdoors in some way and that is the whole point of my life style – being out in the nature just feels so good to me!

(Editor’s note: Wow – I can say I feel a bit of jealousy right now…being an aging, fulltime office rat…)

Kaisa’s take on the sport of snowboarding

Homeboy: How do you spend your winter snowboarding? Would you call yourself a “ski bum”?

Kaisa: There isn’t actually any given pattern to how I spend my winters. When I studied a few years ago it all depended on the studying schedule. In general I don’t like to plan too much. I keep options open as long as possible in order to sieze interesting opportunities spontaneously.

I’ve spent all my winters in snowy areas (expect one maybe) and that has made it possible for me to do winter sports in general. I mean, I have pretty good oppurtunities in my hometown too. For example, it isn’t a big deal for me to change my riding gear for a tight cross-country skiing outfit now and then and go cross-country ski a few laps. Actually I could ski some cross-country any day, probably. I love to do it now and then and it is also a significant part of my wintertime.

From 2000 on I have spent my winters in Lapland and from there I have made several trips to Northern Norway and Sweden (and some trips to central Europe too).  For example in the winters 2005 and 2006 I managed to avoid any real job and just rode. In 2005 I did the snowboard instructor examination, rode a few weeks in Verbier and LaGrave, did some teaching in Pyhätunturi (Finland), guided in Jasna, Slovakia for elamysmatkat.com and did some “traditional” spring trips to Kilpisjärvi (Finland) and Lyngen (Norway).  The next season was pretty similar but the cool thing was that I didn’t do a turn south of Finnish Lapland – I did all my riding in Finnish Lapland and in Tamokdalen, Northern Norway.

Then there are competitions. I have done several of them: The Finnish Freeride Championships in Kilpisjärvi, Riksgränsen Scandinavian Freeride Championships, Finnish Championship Boarder Cross, Nissan Arctic Tamok Freeride competition and last season I did the Freeride World Tour Qualifications. Last season brought some new locations and riding vibes: I visited The USA for the first time and rode also for the first time in Austria and southern Norway. I also did some pretty cool split-board touring trips with my boyfriend Teemu Tiiro in Lapland, and luckily I was also doing some job-related trips in Tärnäby-Hemavan area, Sweden.

Well, I can’t exactly call myself a “ski bum”. But probably I have been quite close at times, I guess. All in all I am pretty cheap and try to save all the money for trips and gear, and especially for riding. If you have enough drive to follow your passion, you will find plenty of options to save both money and time for your hobbies…

Homeboy: Tell us three reasons to snowboard and compete in snowboarding? What pushes you forward to progress?

Kaisa: Nature, fun and curiosity.

Snowboarding, freeriding especially, is a great way of being outdoors. It is fun and you meet new, interesting people doing it.  Competitions are all about curiosity for me, and also the will to progress as a rider (both mentally and physically).

At the time I make the decision to take part in the competition I will take a mental challenge. An after taking that challenge I am probably a bit stronger a person. In addtion to that I will meet new people, get great experiences and maybe also that rewarding feeling of success.

I got the motivations that drives me to train and progress from my dreams where I see myself riding huge powder lines better than ever, taking that “perfect” competition line or doing long expedition type riding trips to the mountains.  When I have that will to progress I also will get closer (step by step) to my dream of riding better than ever before. At the same time I will gain information about snow, nature and mountains. Knowing nature and the environment will make me feel more home in the nature and that, on its part, is just pure physical satisfaction for me.

Homeboy: That was a very good answer in our opinion. However, it can be also pretty dangerous in the mountains. What do you think about dangers (even the danger of dying) in the sport? (Too) many Finns have died in the mountains too… What do you think about possible accidents and dangers in riding?

Kaisa: I have a strong will and motivation to live and I try to avoid deathly danger in every situation out there. In my opinion I have a healthy fear and self-protection instinct – still, I want to control those to some degree, sometimes more, sometimes less. I won’t climb to the top of the mountain if I feel a bit of unsure about conditions or my own skills or physical capacity before the ascent.  I don’t want to defy death or try to get in to the life-threathening situations voluntarily. That said, I have to admit that I probably take more risks than people on average but then we are talking about the risk of an injury, not the risk of death. You can say an avalanche danger is the biggest risk in this sport and with that you have to evaluate the conditions every time case by case.

I don’t personally know anyone who has died or got lost in the mountains. So, I can’t take the aforementioned accidents that personally. It is always sad to hear about the accidents but on the other hand we talk about people that have followed their dreams and passions and died while doing that. The random act of violence out there or every traffic accident can be even more tragic in my opinion.

I would like to believe that by combining humility, knowledge, experience and respect for nature you can be out there safely, knowing that you have the best possibilities to spent time in the environment where you enjoy your life the most.

Are you ready for the Freeride World Tour?

Homeboy: Talking about risk involved action – You compete on the Freeride World Tour this season. Tell us a bit more about the tour…and explain why you will attend the tour.

Kaisa: The tour starts on 19th of January in Sochi, Russia. At the end of February I will compete in Squaw Valley, USA and after that in Tignes, France. The last part of the tour will be held in Verbier – the classic Verbier Xtreme. The Xtreme is an invitation competion, based on the results of the previous events. The four places in FWT snowboard women were given to the two best in the last year tour and two best in the qualification tour. In addition to us four, about four other people will be invited based on the results in the so called sister events or by “wild cards” given by the organizers.

Well, why I attend the tour is because I got some good results in last year’s qualifications tour – as I just explained.  The only reasons not to compete this year would be related to budget and work situation. But luckily I got all the things sorted out and I am free to compete on the tour! The opportunity is an enormous challenge for me, and a very interesting as such.

Homeboy: What do expect from the Freeride World Tour? Have you evaluated your chances to succeed?

Kaisa: I wait and hope for good runs and of course good snow conditions. At the same time I will get to ride and party with like-minded people. Meeting the best female freeriders all over the world is a really big thing for me; I already noticed that last season. Where I usually ride you get to meet too few female riders in general. I also anticipate progressing as a rider and good communications between the organizers and riders.

I won’t speculate on the exact results, I guess I have as good chances as any other rider in my class.  In my opinion there are a couple of really strong candidates to win and then the rest are pretty equally skilled.  It always depends on so many small issues: daily conditions, your current feeling, physical condition (and possible injuries), etc.

Homeboy: But can you name some of your biggest rivals?

Kaisa: Actually, everyone in the women’s board class are rivals. Verbier Xtreme winners Geraldine Faschnaht and Ruth Leisbach will be probably the favorites.

Homeboy: Who are your snowboard idols and why? Or do you have any idols?

Kaisa: Actually I don’t have any big idols. I know lots of good riders who I admire for their skills. And most of them are great people too. A good woman is always something to look for – because getting that good is a even harder for a girl and requires a strong attitude. The aforementioned Geraldine Faschnacht and Ruth Leisbach are pretty damn good riders, and also Victoria Jealouse of course. On the other hand my boyfriend Teemu Tiiro and Jussi Räsänen are both very skilled riders with great riding humour and good vibes. (Editor’s note: that is true!)

Homeboy: What do you think are your weaknesses as a snowboarder and competitor?

Kaisa: There are several: too little competition experience (on a snowboard), being born and raised in the flatlands, starting a bit too late – just to name some. Also, I haven’t probably “matured” as a rider yet; both my style and technique will change some all the time. I have had some feedback that my riding style is nice but that I need to add some more aggressiveness and big cliff drops to my competition runs.

Homeboy: Well, that sounds pretty challenging to us (knowing how you ride already!).  But how about the strengths – What are your best qualities as a snowboarder?

Kaisa: I am fairly critical towards my skills and myself. There is always something to strive for. My psychological strengths are probably lots of competition experience from other sports and the peacefullnes and the skill to concentrate through that experience.  I also know that I have both good physical condition and the ability to make solid, well-formed turns, which are the basis of any good competition run anyway.

Homeboy: How many seasons have you competed? Did you have any success earlier?

Kaisa: I already did some competitions back in 2002 but in reality I could call the 2007/2008 season the first real competition season. And looking at the results, the season exceeded all my expectations (Editor’s note: Kaisa won the World Freeride Qualifications tour).

Before that I have done some local competitions with varying success. All in all I can say that every competition has been a very important experience to me.

Homeboy: How are you going to prepare to the Freeride World Tour?

Kaisa: Well, I am preparing already. I started the riding season and try to maintain my physical condition as well as possible. Getting the budget together and making travel plans might be the most concrete things to prepare. Also, I have had that special excitement in my riding this season – usually I don’t get that exited about things way beforehand but now I have gladly noticed that I am pretty stoked already and feel very energetic for the upcoming tour!

Homeboy: Great to hear! We wish you all the best in the tour. Finally, a different sort of question: can you name the three best resorts where you have ridden?

Kaisa: LaGrave, Jasna and Narvik. In all of these I have spent at least two weeks and for example in Jasna about two months altogether. So, I see these resorts from quite a different angle than the resorts I’ve only seen for a few days. None of these resorts are big in nightlife, prepared slopes or additional services but when talking about freeriding all three are really good. At least I have enjoyed great powder, beautiful scenery and my own private lines in those resorts (without the crowds of the biggest resorts!).

Homeboy: Thanks Kaisa! Now those were some well though-out answers. It would be really nice to go riding again some day, like we did a few years ago in Jasna. Have a great season and be careful out there!

Kaisa wants to also thank her sponsors: City-Sport, North Face, Oakley and JKL Freeride